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Brain & Nervous System104 citations

Electromagnetic field emitted by 902 MHz mobile phones shows no effects on children's cognitive function.

No Effects Found

Haarala C, Bergman M, Laine M, Revonsuo A, Koivisto M, Hamalainen H. · 2005

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This study found no immediate cognitive effects from 902 MHz cell phone radiation in children during brief test sessions.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether 902 MHz cell phone radiation affects children's thinking abilities by having 32 kids aged 10-14 take cognitive tests while exposed to both active and inactive phones. They found no differences in reaction time or accuracy between the two conditions. This challenges earlier studies suggesting cell phone radiation might actually improve cognitive performance.

Why This Matters

This study adds to the mixed evidence on EMF effects on cognitive function, particularly in children whose developing brains may be more vulnerable to electromagnetic exposure. While the researchers found no immediate cognitive effects from 902 MHz GSM signals, the study's limitations are important to consider. The sample size of 32 children is relatively small, and the exposure duration appears brief rather than reflecting long-term daily use patterns. The reality is that children today face cumulative EMF exposure from multiple sources throughout their development, not just isolated test sessions. What this means for you as a parent is that while this particular study suggests no immediate cognitive impact, it doesn't address the broader questions about chronic exposure effects or other biological impacts that may not manifest as measurable changes in test performance.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 902 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 902 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 902 MHz

Study Details

The present study investigated the potential effects of a standard 902 MHz global system for mobile communication (GSM) mobile phone on 10-14 years old children's cognitive function.

A total of 32 children (16 boys, 16 girls) participated with their own and parental consent. The sub...

The statistical analyses showed no significant differences between the mobile phone off and on condi...

It was concluded that a standard mobile phone has no effect on children's cognitive function as measured by response speed and accuracy. The present results challenge some earlier findings suggesting that the electromagnetic field (EMF) created by an active mobile phone would facilitate cognitive functioning.

Cite This Study
Haarala C, Bergman M, Laine M, Revonsuo A, Koivisto M, Hamalainen H. (2005). Electromagnetic field emitted by 902 MHz mobile phones shows no effects on children's cognitive function. Bioelectromagnetics. Suppl 7:S144-150,2005.
Show BibTeX
@article{c_2005_electromagnetic_field_emitted_by_3059,
  author = {Haarala C and Bergman M and Laine M and Revonsuo A and Koivisto M and Hamalainen H.},
  title = {Electromagnetic field emitted by 902 MHz mobile phones shows no effects on children's cognitive function.},
  year = {2005},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16059918/},
}
PubMed: 16059918

Cited By (104 papers)

View all 104 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2005 study found no effects on children's cognitive abilities from 902 MHz cell phone radiation. Researchers tested 32 kids aged 10-14 and found no differences in reaction time or accuracy between active and inactive phone exposure conditions.
Research shows mobile phones don't impair children's thinking abilities. A controlled study with children ages 10-14 found no significant differences in cognitive performance when exposed to active versus inactive cell phones during testing sessions.
Studies suggest 902 MHz radiation doesn't harm children's brain function. Research testing cognitive abilities in kids found no negative effects on response speed or accuracy when exposed to this frequency commonly used by mobile phones.
Current research indicates minimal cognitive risks from cell phone use in children. A study measuring reaction times and accuracy found no impairment in thinking abilities when kids were exposed to standard mobile phone electromagnetic fields.
Phone radiation appears to have no impact on children's mental performance based on controlled testing. Research found no differences in cognitive function between children exposed to active versus inactive mobile phones during various mental tasks.